The present invention relates to a process for stabilising the colour of cured, cooked comminuted meat products during storage.
Light-induced discolourisation of sliced and gas-packed charcuterie products during display in illuminated cabinets in supermarkets, is a frequent problem, due to high levels of oxygen in the packages and is caused by the presence in the cured, cooked charcuterie products of a pink pigment which is not stable to oxygen in the presence of light and which turns brown on storage. The oxygen present in the pack may come from either the production process, the product itself, or from the exterior if the film of the package is not an efficient barrier. Acceptable colour stability can be achieved by adding oxygen scavengers, such as AGELESS absorbent product manufactured by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc., to the package. AGELESS product is an oxygen absorber based on iron powder which is produced in small pouches, and effectively binds residual oxygen. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,192, there is described a process for accelerating the cure colour in meat by adding iron or an iron salt to the curing medium in the presence of an enediol or diketone reducing agent. It is also known to use encapsulated iron with lipid coatings for food fortification with iron.
Although added ferrous and ferric salts consume oxygen in cured, cooked charcuterie products and protect against discolourisation during display, the products become, initially, an undesirable yellow.